Cleaning

Yesterday was a big cleaning day. I had to clean my apartment up until my parents visit me tomorrow afternoon.

For me, cleaning isn't a tough job. I like keeping my room clean. This time, however, I needed to clean my apartment EXTRA clean. All the stuff that I didn't want to show to my parents needed to go to a storage.

In the morning, Colin came to my apartment and we went to REI to buy things for his backpacking trip this weekend. He looked very excited about his first backpacking. He was carefully choosing items. I felt that REI is so expensive! Such a small size waterproof note costs about $10 bucks!!

In the evening, we went to Japanese Restaurant, Kisaku. This was the second time we visited this restaurant. As soon as we got into the restaurant, a waitress came to us and said, "Do you have a reservation?" We didn't have a reservation, so we said No. I forgot what the waitress said, but something like "You need a reservation!!" or something like that with very spite face. We got bad impression from her. Fortunately, counter seats were available, so we sat on the seat and order the dishes. Colin ordered Unaju, barbecued eel on rice with special sauce served with miso soup, greens and potato saladand, I ordered Saba misoni dish, Norwegian mackerel cooked in a miso sauce. Served with rice , greens, potato.

The food was great. We enjoyed the authentic Japanese food. The sushi shelf who was standing front of us had a good sense of humor. I would like to be like that....

Stolen

This morning, I found that my bike had been stolen. I was really shocked. The person who stole my bike cut the wire key and took my bike. I had been feeling that the place I parked my bike wasn't safe. There aren't many people walking on the street at night and the street is very dark. For the robber, the place must have been the best place to work for.

Now I only have a bus to go around Seattle. I went to Fremont library by bus. I go back to Japan, but I don't want to lose my English skills. I need somehow to keep what I have done the English training so far with language teachers and exchange guys. I asked librarian that what kind of books he recommend that I should take the book to Japan with me. The issues that I am interested in are about travel, culture, architecture, sports, and music. First of all, we went to children's book section. However, the books he suggested were too easy for me. Next we searched books at Audio CD section. The idea is that I rent the book and CD at the same time, so I can train in both listening and reading. The library was very small, but the librarian was very kind. He suggested good sets of books that might have been appropriate for me. The books I wanted to rent had already been taken by other people, so I requested those books in the library's online searching engine. Following is the list of the books I requested. I am supposed to get the books with in a week.

The art of travel by De Botton, Alain (CD and Book)

The Big Bam: the life and times of Babe Ruth by Montville, Leigh (CD and Book)

In a sunburned country by Bryson, Bill (CD and Book)

Life on the Mississippi by Twain, Mark (CD and Book)

The lost continent: travels in small-town America by Bryson, Bill (CD and Book)

I don't know I can read everything or not, but I try to read and listen everyday.

The end of the English lesson

Today was a quite sunny day. It should be sunny days like today in Seattle everyday this time of the year, but Seattle has been had many cloudy and rainy days in this year.


My parents are coming to the U.S. within four days. I have the mixed feelings of nervous and exciting now. I hope the weather is good in the next week.


I took a final English lesson at Seattle Language Academy. Today was also my teacher's last day at the school because he got a different job. We studied how to create a summary of a short story. We practiced a little bit about R, L pronunciation. He was a better teacher than the first one but I still felt that something is missing toward his teaching.


Around 3:30 I went to Roberta's office and took her English lesson. She was calling when I got there, so I read a short story book and waited for her. Roberta gave me a test of how to use IN, AT and ON. I did a pretty good job on the test. We practiced FL sounds and FR sounds. The most difficult thing was to pronunce my co-worker's name Ilva...


At evening, Colin and I went to see a movie called "Superbad". The movie was the most stupid movie I have ever seen. The movie was fun and there were many American jokes, idioms, and dirty words. The fat guy said "Fu_k" in almost every single his comments. Sometimes I didn't understand what was so funny even though the audience around me were laughing. Sex, drug, and alcohol...if the characters in the movie are a typical American teenager, I am worried about the future of this country. However, Colin said it isn't typical. He hasn't done that when he was in their age...Are you sure, Colin? I think so.


Today I ate a honey toast with coffee at the breakfast, and Cup Udon noodles at lunch, and Brittoes at dinner. One orange and Yogurt were for desert.

Protoge

I am thinking to get rid of my car. The car has been my cause of anxiety for a long time. I have repaired and repaired many parts of the car, and it seems like a endless rat race. I can't drive the car because I am afraid it is going to be broken on the road.

I bought the car from my Japanese friend who had gone back to Japan in summer 2004. It cost $1200. Yeah, it was cheap car. Since then I repaired the engine, muffler, suspension etc... It cost about $3000 total, and it seems like to be continuing higher and higher...The value of the car is around $800 now. It doesn't make sense to repair the car anymore.

Actually, I don't need a car. In Seattle, the public bus system is well developed. Also, I have a bicycle, so the combination of the bus and the bicycle allows me to go around almost everywhere in Seattle.

I don't know when I sell the car, but near future I put an advertisement on Craigslist.

Hatsuon- Pronunciation

I thought my English pronunciation level is Ok, but I felt that it must have been categorised as "Need work" level from the view point of native speakers. I figured out that many people's faces became glum when they talked with me :-< Obviously they hadn't understood what I said.

It has been two and half months since my English focus (no work) term started. I haven't felt that my English was improved yet. However, my jaw has been obviously tired.

I have not used my tongue and muscle for some of the correct English pronunciation before. My mouth muscle hasn't grown to pronounce R and L word. I have to train and remember how my tongue works and build muscles for pronunciation those words.

The words I have been struggling with are R, L, B, V, S, Sh, N. Especially I (most of Japanese people) can't pronounce R correctly. My English book said, With your tongue sides touching the sides of your mouth, raise and lower your tongue tip slowly for /r/. Practice by prolonging the /r/ sound and then lowering the tongue tip slowly, without sliding it forward. This will keep the tip from touching the alveolar ridge. It is very hard for me to pronounce R with keeping my tongue lower part of my mouth. Repeating words that includes R such as River, Arrow, Red helps to build muscles. My jaw has been fatigued since I started this training.

I don't know how long it takes that I can feel comfortable to speak English. It might have never been happened: however, I continue to train.

Earthquake hit on my home town...

An earthquake occurred on my hometown Niigata last night(see a newspaper). I called my parents and checked they were fine. The earthquake has been caused great damage to the city. Ahh...dipressed...

This was the second time that the huge earthquake hit on the area within five years. Last time(2004), more than 40 people were died.

Summer Plan

I haven’t updated this blog for a long time. Why? I have just been lazy....

It has passed a week since three months period that I can't work started. During these three months, I study English, am enjoy outdoor activities, and have fun with my family. It will be a very interesting summer. Following are some of the list that I will do this summer.

English study (Seattle Language Academy English lesson. One and half hour, three days a week)
English study (Language Exchange with two native Americans. Two hour per week)
English study (English pronunciation study with friends. One to two hour per week)
Outdoor (Rafting trip and camp)
Outdoor (Orcas Island camp)
Outdoor (Olympic peninsula camp)
Family (Parents visit to the U.S.)
Family (Goes back to Japan)
Friend (Colin visits Japan)

I try to keep a well-regulated and lead a useful life.